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Datsun is back!

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People of India, Indonesia and Russia, we bring you some news: Datsun is back!

People of the UK, we bring you some more news: it probably won’t make a return to Blighty!

Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn today made a speech in Indonesia where he revealed the news that the Japanese car brand - Datsun! - would be revived for “up and coming customers in high-growth markets”, providing a “sustainable motoring experience”. For that, simply read: budget motors.

It will form the third of Nissan’s global brands, alongside Infiniti and, erm, Nissan, with production in India, Indonesia and China starting in 2014. It’s like Renault’s sub-brand Dacia, who of course, produce one of May’s favoured cars.

“Nissan is bringing new jobs and new vehicles to Indonesia”, Mr Ghosn said. But before you get waves of nausea about a new army of Sunnys and ungainly Bluebirds and old Cherrys, remember they rolled out some good ‘uns too.

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The company collaborated with Pininfarina in the early 1960s to produce the 410 (ok, still a Bluebird), and it also built the 240Z - a car that helped the brand’s presence in America and sold by the bucketload. And don’t forget the Datsun/Nissan Silvia would morph into one of the best drift machines on Earth as the 200SX.

And yet, and yet… Datsun. It’s been over 30 years since the name appeared as a standalone before it was swallowed by the Nissan mothership (reportedly because Nissan then wanted a single global name to increase its presence). Are you ready to see it return?

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